Tag Archives: Disney

Ashley’s Disney Pre-Wedding Celebration!

Another of my Disney Bride friends, Ashley, has generously offered her Disney-themed shower for me to share! Ashley’s shower, which she hosted with her now husband, Brian, was a combination shower/wedding celebration as they had many friends and family who weren’t able to attend their Florida Disney wedding and wanted to be included in some of the fun!

To set the stage for this event, Mickey-wearing avatars in Ashley’s and Brian’s likeness posed as the subject for adorable invitations.

Guests were brought to a local country club where they were greeted with colorful Disney nuances; some subtle and some familiar and welcoming!

Ashley created fastpasses for guest seating. Fastpasses very much like what Ashley used are now extinct in the Disney parks but until recently these were paper passes that would cut wait times for rides. These were cleverly designed to correspond with the table names, which she created from vintage Disney ride posters!

Ashley’s and Brian’s table was also adorned with a large Toy Story Midway Mania-themed Vinylmation; one of their favorite Disney attractions!

To top off a lovely lunch buffet, guests enjoyed handmade cake pops and cupcakes (created by Brian’s mom) with cute Donald and Daisy Duck toppers!

In lieu of favors, Ashley’s mom ordered Make A Wish bracelets for all guests, as this is a very special foundation to the bride and groom. Included with the bracelets was a message indicating that a donation was made to the Make A Wish Foundation so that the magic of Disney could be shared with another family.

 

Before leaving, guests contributed to the thumbprint tree guest “book” that is now displayed in the Bride and Groom’s living room where they can be reminded of the great day they had with so many of their favorite people that were there to show their support for the beautiful couple that day!

Saint Patrick’s Disney Side!

With Saint Patrick’s Day right around the corner, and my need to create new things, I began scouring my brain for some way to incorporate our Disney side with some festive yumminess! I thought back to our fun late night dinner at Raglan Road in Downtown Disney and its strong Irish roots during our first trip to Disney World together. Raglan Road is known for its famous Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding which I decided I was going to tackle! I’ve included my adapted recipe below for you to try at home!

The beginnings of the delicious, slurp by the spoonful, vanilla cream anglaise!

Remember that whole bread and BUTTER thing? Yeah…here’s the sugar/butter spread in the making.

Thick sliced Texas Toast bread which I kept the crusts on for extra texture and caramelized crunchy edges!

Sugar butter “sandwich” triangles are the yummy base for this deadly dessert.

Cut your triangles to best fit whatever shaped pan you choose. I also soaked the raisins in warm water and imitation rum flavoring just for fun!

Finished bubbly goodness! Caramel sauce cooling in the background.

Caramel sauce and rich vanilla cream anglaise take this dessert over the edge into fancyland awesome.

Finished product. Moment of silence please………yum. Every. Part. Is. Perfect.

For dinner I prepared a simple fresh pesto over green pasta! Even though we’re Irish, doing the whole traditional Irish cuisine didn’t feel right so we went this route. I threw in some veggies and some smoked turkey sausage and served with a big green salad for good measure!

The beginnings of the yummy pesto sauce! So simple: basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese blended in a food processor.

So fresh, so delicious, so green.

Green spaghetti!

A lovely dinner full of green! Don’t kiss me, I’m Irish but I smell like garlic.

What are you having for Saint Patrick’s Day dinner? Share your recipes below! And try my version of Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding for dessert and let me know how you like it!

Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding (adapted from All Ears’ recipe from Raglan Road)

Vanilla Cream Anglaise:

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Method of Preparation: 
1. Heat up the cream and the vanilla on the stove until it almost starts to boil. Meanwhile combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk well.
2. When the cream reaches the almost boiling point, turn off and remove the pot from the burner. Temper the yolks, by ladling a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of cream to the bowl and mixing well. Then add the yolk sugar mixure to the cream, whisk well so that it does not curdle. Place over low heat for 2 minutes whisking until it starts to thicken. Strain and allow to cool at room temperature. (Post edit: I didn’t strain and the world didn’t end and the sauce was delicious. Sometimes I don’t follow the rules. There, I said it.)

The “Bread and Butter” part:

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf Texas toast (about six slices)
1/2 pound butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Crème anglaise (see below) for dipping
1/2 cup raisins soaked in water (and a dribble of imitation rum flavoring, optional)

Method of Preparation: 
1. Combine the sugar and butter, spread evenly on the bread slices to make sandwiches, stack together and cut off the crust. (post edit: again, I’m a rule breaker. I left on the crust and I’m glad I did! I also used the remainder of the butter mixture to butter the outsides of the bread too.)
2. Cut the “sandwiches” in ½ on an angle (from corner to corner)
3. Butter the inside of 8 oven proof cups or preferred baking dish (I used a 9×9 square pan). One by one dip the “sandwiches” in the anglaise and place in the baking dish, layer the bread and a sprinkling of soaked raisins as you go until done. (post edit: there was only one layer for me since I put them all in the square pan so I just put the raisins on top. Also pour more anglaise on top! Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan and fill in the holes-trust me on this.)
4. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until it rises a bit. Remove the cover and bake an extra 10 minutes until slightly brown. (post edit: this was the exact perfect amount of time.)
5. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with anglaise and caramel sauce (see below).

Caramel Sauce:

Ingredients: 
1 stick butter, chilled
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Method of Preparation: 
Combine the sugar and butter in pot and cook over a medium heat. Whisk well to combine. When sugar is melted and it starts to boil, turn off the stove, remove from heat, and whisk in the cream to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Disney Bride Kristin’s Bridal Shower!

I am thrilled to feature one of my Disney Bride friends’ bridal shower! Kristin’s shower was so fun with subtle Disney nuances mixed with some of her favorite things!

Photo credit: By The Robinsons

Kristin headed to lunch at her favorite cozy Italian restaurant, Stefano’s Trattoria in Orlando one unsuspecting day where she was completely surprised to see 30 of her friends and family! She was the guest of honor for her surprise bridal shower!

Kristin’s mom and Maid of Honor had fluffed up the already beautiful restaurant to make it extra special and fit for a Princess. On the tables, they placed at each place setting cake in Mason jars and a Mickey glass filled with candy and specialty lip balms on a paddle from Epcot’s Canada pavilion (by “specialty” I mean “flavors” like Beaver Butt, Moose Spit, and Bear Breath!)!

For lunch, guests were given the option of eggplant parmesan, chicken marsala, or tortellini with port wine, espresso, cappuccinos, and sodas.

Kristin with Stefano himself!

A Disney themed game entertained guests between munches and sips where they matched Disney love songs with their respective movies!

Kristin’s Disney wedding is quickly approaching where she will marry her Fiancé, Geoff. Very much looking forward to seeing their wedding come to life!

Photo credit: By the Robinsons